


Sister Shoptalk

by Pixelle



Category: RWBY
Genre: Character Study, F/F, Gen, Pre-Volume 3 (RWBY), Weiss Schnee Needs a Hug, Weiss Schnee-centric, should be compliant up to V7 though, the ships are in the bg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29191281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixelle/pseuds/Pixelle
Summary: For Weiss, it was supposed to be a normal, quiet study session in Beacon's library. Then Yang barged in with some crazy news about Ruby's "birthday" coming up.The trip that follows is, somehow, the best gift thatWeisscould ever receive.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Weiss Schnee & Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 9
Kudos: 125





	1. Chapter 1

_ The world, as it stands now, is far bigger than any of us thought it could ever get—and in some ways, also far smaller. _

_ All across Remnant, people are locked in battles-physical, political, magical, sociological… personal. _

_ With Salem, the White Fang, and others on the move, any illusion of “safe” spaces or harbors we may have once held were rendered a thing of the past in short order. _

_ But a time existed before that. A time where all that mattered was being punctual to class, or school bullies, or being roomies, or being able to slay that Grimm with just the right techniques taught to us by our Beacon Academy instructors. _

_ It was a simple time, that we can never go back to, and make no mistake, I don’t think we should. We’ve grown too much since then, seen too much, learned so much, and even amidst strife, become so much better as people. _

_ But that doesn’t mean that those times didn’t hold any meaning. Far from it. We had friends back then who were still alive, and who we miss. We had the ability to think of the smaller things, to give them just as much weight as the bigger picture—and when it came to those aforementioned friends, that counted, even now, more than we ever could have known back then. _

_ The lessons of the past, and the people we loved in that past, hold the key to why we do what we do now. _

_ Still. _

_ Sometimes, I wish I could go back. Just for a little while. _

_ ~ From the Diary of Weiss Schnee _

* * *

Quiet environments were a thing that Weiss enjoyed—especially in the face of studying. Still, if she was going to be a good teammate, especially after giving up her bid for leadership to an… energetic, idealistic alternative candidate, she was going to have to pick up the slack however she could. Which meant studying. Hard. So she _could_ lead, in the inevitable moments where Ruby’s “rush towards it headfirst at top speed” approach failed to prevail.

Unfortunately, Ruby wasn’t the only person on Team RWBY who believed in that approach.

Yang Xiao Long plopped down across from Weiss as she dutifully studied in Beacon Academy’s library, her hair floofing down onto the desk out of the corner of Weiss’s eye.

_ “Hey, Weiss, how ya doin’—” _ she managed to blurt out, just before everyone in a ten-foot radius shushed in her—and Weiss’s—direction.

Wunderbar.

Weiss huffed, resisting the urge to facepalm. Quiet was… not a word native to Yang’s vocabulary. For that matter, she wasn’t so sure that ‘library’ was, either. She and her sister Ruby were different in many ways, but in their loudness and energy, they may as well have been clones. At least the rest of the library’s patrons shared Weiss’s sentiment.

Yang scooched her chair into the desk, facing directly across from Weiss. “Hey, girl, ya busy?” she hissed, grinning as she threw an arm over the chair’s back.

“Always,” Weiss replied, not taking her eyes off of the textbook laid in front of her. As if to punctuate her statement, she turned the page and continued scanning, while also taking scattered notes.

Several seconds passed, until Weiss gave an idle, page-ruffling sigh, in hopes of covering up the yawn she’d been nursing for some time. Truth be told, she’d been at this for a good few hours now, but even she wasn’t immune to such an activity’s effects.

“If I ever take over the Company,” she said, to herself as much as Yang, “the first thing I’m doing is lobbying for the replacement all of the writers of these arduous tomes, with people who actually know how to be interesting.”

She looked up into Yang’s smiling face–of course. That girl always smiled. Weiss would be wary if she didn’t know that a smiling Yang was almost always better than the alternative.

Almost.

“Fine, you win,” she said, closing her copy of Advanced Dust Chemistry. “But only because my brain really needs to un-mush.”

“Then I have the _perfect_ un-mushing activity for ya!” Yang said, point-and-clicking a finger at Weiss. “We’re taking you birthday shopping for Ruby.” She stood up. “C’mon, let’s roll. I’ll drive, of course.”

Weiss sat where she was, more stunned than anything. What shopping for _who, now?_ “H-h- _hang on_ ,” Weiss hissed back, her expression showing equal amounts incredulity and curiosity. “She… she has one of those? Why wasn’t I informed? Why didn’t she tell me? Why—”

She stopped to recompose herself. Composure was important. Composure was relaxing. She closed her eyes, took deep breaths, imagined herself in the midst of a garden, without a care in the world.

Soon, her body and mind were peaceful once more. Her voice leveled off as she tried to address the question again. “So, uh… even if I’d known what ‘special occasion’ lay ahead, what makes you think getting her anything would have crossed my mind?”

Yang smirked knowingly. “Call it a gut instinct,” she said. “You don’t spend quiet, secluded time with someone unless you give a damn about 'em. A really big damn.”

Weiss stared back, unblinking, _not_ liking Yang’s look right now. Ugh, Weiss knew it, she just knew it. They were sisters, of _course_ Weiss and Ruby’s private forest training sessions in the middle of the night would end up being revealed eventually. What else had Ruby told her? And heck, what had Yang then told _Blake_ because of _course_ those two had proven to be inseparable because heaven knew why and it wasn’t fair!

Seriously, this was not fair. Ever since enrolling at Beacon, the concept of privacy had all but gone out the window, and Weiss had to explain herself with regards to every little thing. As leader of Team RWBY and its self-appointed second in command, Ruby and Weiss’s training sessions existed to keep them both at peak efficiency, and proved to be a great venue for coming up with strategies in secret!

Besides, Weiss was unafraid to admit that Ruby was an… _uncommonly_ good—and focused—fighter when given the least amount of distractions to work with, hence the time of night and distance of the sessions. It certainly wasn’t because Weiss enjoyed Ruby’s company. Just because Ruby never judged Weiss no matter how badly she acted, or how much she vented… just because Ruby’s upbeat energy and attitude could sometimes prove to be just the right emotional salve after a hard day of working to prove herself to the world _and_ dealing with a stressful family…

…just because Weiss was beginning to _not_ utterly hate it when their spars brought them within close quarters of each other, being able to feel Ruby’s warmth on those nights which were colder than usual—

“A _very_ trustworthy gut instinct, going by the look on your face right now,” Yang added, snapping Weiss out of her daydream.

Verdammt. Weiss gritted her teeth as she caught her breath.

Fortunately, Yang didn’t press it, instead standing up and cocking her head towards the library’s exit. “Now, c’moooon. I got a bunch of stuff going on the rest of the week, so this is the only day I have we can do it.” She took a few steps, beckoning Weiss along. “It’ll go super quick, and you can get back to decrying textbooks or whatever.” Her smile turned joking.

Weiss scoffed. “I can complain about textbooks from bed if I feel like it. I’m just that versatile.” She packed said books into her bag, and followed Yang out of the library. She walked by Yang’s side, trailing by a single step to allow Yang to maintain her lead. “Actually, that doesn’t sound so bad. But that’s later. So, um…” She trailed off, her gaze roaming everywhere but Yang this time. “…did you have anyplace specific in mind? Or any idea what Ruby… might… you know…”

Yang laughed. “I have a couple of ideas, yeah,” she said. “I mean, she is my sister. But this has to come from you.” Yang pointed at Weiss emphatically as they entered the Beacon garage. “I’m just here to make sure you don’t give her something she’ll have to be ‘polite’ about—like an expensive vase or something.”

Wait, hold on—who _didn’t_ like pretty, expensive vases? Weiss’s face scrunched in pondering. Ruby was weird. Beacon was weird. But she then took five whole seconds to remember just how often Ruby moved as fast as lightning, as well as just how little she usually thought before doing so aaaaaannnd okay now she could see Yang’s point plain as day.

In fact, the more Weiss thought about it, the more she realized she couldn’t think of a single gift she herself would like that Ruby also would… or for that matter, Ruby wouldn’t also break.

Desperate, she mused on other avenues of possibility. _Running shoes?_ She thought to herself frantically. _A new cloak? A custom weapon enhancement? No, she’d be suspicious the second I asked to borrow Crescent Rose…_

Her heart sank in dismay as she realized she hadn’t the foggiest answer to her dilemma. And with that dismay came frustration. Namely: Just why was this bothering her so much?

Once more, Weiss was snapped out of her reverie by Yang, this time via the latter shoving a helmet into her hands, before turning to the bright yellow motorcycle they’d just arrived at.

“Strap in,” Yang said, pulling down her own helmet. She threw one leg over her precious motorcycle, straddling the seat, and flipped down her helmet’s visor. “Can’t risk your brain all over the pavement. I didn’t bring a scooper.”

“Ewwww. Morbid much?” Weiss quipped.

Yang shrugged. “Just dealin’ facts.” She inserted the key and started up the bike. It rumbled up, the engine’s roar briefly filling the space.

Still, Weiss knew Yang was right. She had only ever ridden Yang’s bike a couple of times thus far, and each time she had, she’d found it—and Yang’s driving once she really got into it—more intense than even the toughest one-on-one Grimm fight. Brain-splattering was a real consequence of even the slightest mistake. Which was why she personally preferred to avoid riding Yang’s bike in the first place.

If only it were for any lesser cause.

With an eyeroll and a sigh, Weiss mounted the vehicle behind Yang, and held on to her as tightly as she could. “All right,” she said. "Lead the way. And if you could, please try to take things a little more measured than you usually _doooooooooooooooo—_ "

Weiss couldn’t see Yang’s grin as she gunned the engine, and they took off like a shot.


	2. Chapter 2

Ten minutes later, Yang skidded with an audible _screech_ into a parking spot just outside downtown Vale’s Merchant’s Walk. She whipped off her helmet and tossed her mane.

"Ah! Nothin’ like a ride to clear your head. Am I right, Weiss?" she said, turning back to her passenger. "C’mon, back me up."

Groaning, Weiss stumbled off of the bike, just barely managing not to fall over. Thank goodness she’d had a light breakfast, or it would have been gone already. After much fumbling, she got a hold of her helmet, yanked it off, rested her palms on her knees, and caught the breath she now realized she’d been holding in for half the ride, through several audible gasps.

"Your turns… ninety degrees… every time… why?" Weiss just barely managed to babble.

Yang locked her helmet to her bike. "Dude," she said, shrugging a casual shoulder. "It’s what bikes were made for. Can’t pull that kind of maneuver in four wheels." She sighed longingly. "Believe me, I’ve tried.

"But enough about how awesome my driving skills are," Yang said, looping an arm around Weiss and squeezing her close. "We’re here, girl! Heart of Commerce! Well, almost the Heart of Commerce till Vale gets a decent sized mall. Check it—Merchant’s Walk. We’ll have you set up with Ruby’s gift in no time." She winked at Weiss and released her.

"I… guess this is as good a place as any," Weiss said, now back to her normal self. She still couldn’t shake the bit where Yang kept hinting that this trip was all for _her_ benefit, but she pushed it out of her mind and scanned the storefronts. There were several candidates, but she was still at a loss. Eventually she picked the local bookstore at random.

"Maybe simple is best." She took steps towards the bookstore, then looked back at Yang. "Ruby does… _read,_ right? I mean, for fun? I mean, more than fairy tales? I mean—" She clamped up, too fearful of digging her grave any further.

Yang nodded, arms behind her head. "Yeah. Ruby’s always been pretty thirsty for the right story," she said. "But it’s gotta be the _right_ story, y’know? Not Blake’s stuff." She smirked. "That’s not Ruby’s style, if you know what I mean."

"Right," Weiss slowly said, mentally blacklisting the Romance section as they walked further along the shop. Wandering the shelves, Weiss found herself drawn to the business section, then travel—whereupon she pictured herself lying lazily on a boardwalk and working on a tan—before snapping herself out of it and reminding herself who she was here for.

Further in, she happened upon the fiction section, and after skipping past one of her favorite mostly-slice-of-life series about a benevolent and graceful occasionally-crime-fighting princess (ooh, the new installment was out! She’d have to come back later) she picked up a book sporting a cover showing a young girl standing up to a ferocious beast armed with only her fists and a cocksure grin.

Weiss shook her head, noting how clearly unprepared the girl was–the lightest of armor, easily-pulled neckscarf and headbands blowing in the wind, a stance clearly meant for some sort of "badass" form rather than any sort of utility, and good _lord_ , the back of the blurb was nothing but sheer power fantasy—

_ …yeah, definite candidate. _ Weiss strode back towards Yang, book in hand, and presented it to her—half-inquisitively, half-expecting to be laughed out the store.

Yang, however, merely smiled with a mildly approving noise. "Hey, good first pick," she said, nodding. "Unfortunately, I got this for her two birthdays ago. And the sequels."

"Oh," Weiss said. "Scratch that, then."

"Not entirely?" Yang wandered into the fiction section. "You’re on the right track, though. If Ruby’s reading, it’s better if it’s exciting. But it’s gotta have a happy ending. No highbrow stuff where it’s all, ‘that’s the way of the world’ or whatever. She sees that, then she makes this _face_ …" Yang frowned, pinching her eyebrows in tight, and looking very peevish. "Like she can fight the story back to being happy."

A vision flashed in Weiss’s mind of Ruby taking Crescent Rose to a book. Which, upon a further thought, didn’t seem as out of the ordinary as it probably should have been—

"Aaaaaand now you’re picturing Ruby slashing up a book with her scythe," Yang said.

"N- _no_ ," Weiss stammered. "You can’t prove that! Also, even if you try, I have lawyers, you won’t last a day in court—"

"Or I can just bust out a real example and save us both the trouble," Yang laughed. "So, yeah. Two summers ago, our Uncle Qrow took us to that big monster movie—what was it called?" She flapped a hand in dismissal. " _Howler Moon,_ or something? Anyway. The movie ends, and the monster was the hero, right? Saved the city from a worse monster, but he had to die or whatever. So the lady who loved him is crying, and the military guys are all just, like, ‘he was a hero, but still a monster, so he had to be put down’.

"Critics loved it, everyone saw it, all the awards, right?" She smiled knowingly. "Yeah, Ruby haaaates that movie. _Hates_ it. Was all, ‘he saved the day, he’s a hero, what a bad movie!’ And when Uncle Qrow asked if she didn’t understand, she told the whole plot back to him and got even madder about it. Uncle Qrow promised to read reviews before taking us out again." Yang chuckled. "I just thought the fights were pretty bad-ass."

Yang tapped the book Weiss had been holding, then slid it back in place with the others. "So, if you do go book—check your scroll first. You don’t want Ruby on a tirade—even a cute, inspirational one where she puts a foot up on a table and makes big, sweeping declarations."

Weiss watched Yang slide the book back onto the shelf and grimaced in thought. She had no idea Ruby felt so strongly about conflicts between good and evil, or about heroism. At least, not so consistently strongly with what Weiss had witnessed of her since Team RWBY had been formed. To be told that what Weiss had thought to be bravado was actually belief…

Suddenly things weren’t so simple anymore.

Especially since, the last time Ruby had gotten on top of a table in the cafeteria and gone on an actual declaration-filled tirade (regarding the injustice inherent in the always-low stock of meatloaf on Meatloaf Day), Weiss had… actually found it rather cute. Adorable, even.

Purely due to the sheer naiveté on display, of course. But she’d noticed herself staring then, and had fortunately stopped herself before anyone else did.

A new vision popped into Weiss’s head, completely unbidden, of Ruby presiding over an average corporate board meeting—preaching while in full professional attire. The giggles wrote themselves.

Yang cocked an eyebrow. "Laughin’ at my sister?" she said, a light challenge in her voice.

Weiss calmed down, and shook her head, with a smile and a stare, through Yang, into space.

"Not at," she said softly. "With. I promise."

She turned, and wandered towards the entrance to the shop. "I’ll keep the book idea in mind, but… is it alright if we try somewhere else for now? It’s a big marketplace, after all."

"You’re driving this bike, I’m just making sure you don’t go off the road," Yang agreed amiably. "Besides, I was just giving ya shit." She nudged Weiss with an elbow. "Ruby’s pretty funny even when she doesn’t mean to be. Glad to hear you’re laughing with her though. It happens a lot. Sisters, am I right?" She bounced her shoulders as she followed Weiss out the door and back into the sunny day.

Weiss nodded as worshipful thoughts of her own sister, regal and invincible, entered her mind.

Sure, sometimes Winter may have been… hard to approach, and sure, it’d be decades before Weiss could ever hope to live up to her example.

But…

Weiss’s happy expression neutralized.

"Sisters. Indeed," she said, her voice hollow.


	3. Chapter 3

Weiss continued to navigate Merchant's Walk as best she could. It was certainly less… organized, or even kempt, than Atlas City's facilities of the same name, at least in the upper areas. The markets she was used to back home were laid out better, didn't have people shouting at you from some shops to buy their wares, nor expected you to take barely-maintained paved roads to make it to your destination.

That said, Merchant's Walk wasn't as haphazard or lacking in cleanliness as the one time she'd seen a market in Mantle, either. It was… in the middle. Average. Nothing expressly interesting, but nothing relentlessly repulsive, either.

Much like Vale itself.

She vetted various storefronts as she walked, with Yang following alongside. A meat market? Too gross a present, even for Ruby (maybe). Bicycles, perhaps? Alas, Ruby probably wouldn't get much use from one, given her speed and impatience—a fatal combination for herself and most forms of transportation.

Just then, a store full of toys and games caught Weiss's eye. She walked to the door.

"Ruby seems to like a good smile," Weiss said, gesturing to the multicolor-painted building now in front of them. The faint sounds of music and _clack_ ing of toy mechanisms wafted outwards from the inside. "And I know she plays games. Shot in the dark, buuuuut…"

Yang looked at the shop, and shrugged, neither in dismissal or approval. "Meh, worth a look. If nothing else, we can—" She froze, doing a double take, then her face lit up like her favorite pair of night vision goggles. "Aw, _yeah!_ They got Boffo guns! _Dibs!_ " Yang shouldered past Weiss to rush into the store, making a beeline for the brightly-labeled Boffo play-weapons section.

Weiss's smile returned. Clearly, being easily amused ran in the family. Which sounded like fun in itself. She wandered tables full of figures, shelves lined with board games, more tables with Dust-powered vehicles and toys…

…and in the space of five minutes, it all just blended together in an incomprehensible jumble.

Forget 'fun'—all of this, all of _these things,_ were so… so _foreign_ to her. Cute, quaint 'toys' such as this had been far beyond the scope of her upbringing. Hers had consisted of the best 'distractions' money could buy: The best instrument lessons. The best lessons in decorum. The best combat training— _lots_ of the best combat training, also of the best that money could buy.

Lots of distractions… but not so much fun and games. Weiss had to admit that she was completely lost in here. Not just lost, but _illiterate._

She walked back to Yang, who was still playing with the guns and cackling every so often. "Let's go, Yang," she said, her voice muted and wavering. "I… didn't see anything that caught my eye."

"What? Really?" Yang said, her voice quizzical. "I could totally see Ruby rockin' one of these bad boys." She held up the Boffo Sniper Rifle (With Over 100 Yards of Foam Attack Power! Ages 8 and Up) and cocked it. "Seriously. These things are _way_ better than what we had when we were kids. I remember when it was just that Foomper thing. You know? The big, six ball shooter where you'd pump your arm?" She mimed the motion as if that would jog Weiss's memory.

After trying very hard, Weiss vaguely remembered what Yang was referring to. She always passed by such toys in their boxes in stores, and by other children playing with those selfsame toys. They always looked like fun—but, according to everyone in her (admittedly limited) personal sphere, they were "unladylike."

So now, here she was. Wide-eyed, she shook her head blankly. "Sort… of?" She half-questioned.

Yang cocked her head. "Weiss. This was, like, _the_ toy. For all kids, for years. You're seriously trying to tell me you don't remember it? That you never played with one?" She grinned teasingly again. "I get it. You probably had a better version than the rest of us. Some kind of custom-made Schnee-exclusive, direct from Boffo themselves? That sounds more your speed." She leaned close to Weiss, bumping shoulders. "Come on, you can tell me, I can keep a secret. Usually. Long as it doesn't kill anyone. And it's boring."

Weiss shook her head again, but otherwise didn't reply, though not for lack of trying. But no words came no matter her level of effort. It was vexing, but there was nothing she could do.

Seeing this, Yang's expression turned contrite. "Hey, sorry for eggin' ya. I just figured your folks were loaded, so they probably… you know." She shrugged a shoulder and set the Boffo Sniper Rifle (With Over 100 Yards of Foam Attack Power! Ages 8 and Up) back on its shelf. "But if that wasn't your style, I get it. Were you more of a doll kid? Playing house and all that?"

Weiss flashed back. She remembered having dolls—or rather, fashioning pretend dolls out of random inanimate objects. There was Annalisa Tome, and Teacup Theresa, and—

Oh, she'd _asked_ for dolls. She'd asked for dollhouses. Well, okay, she'd asked for doll mansions, sure, but they could afford it. But to those in her (admittedly limited) personal sphere, they represented unrealistic, _idealistic_ social fantasies—and thus, bad influences. A Schnee must always be grounded in the realities of the world around them, as Schnees were major driving forces of that world.

And so, when holidays or birthdays came around, there were always "better" gifts that she would be given instead. Gifts of "skill" and "personal enrichment."

So now, here she was.

Weiss blankly shook her head one more time. Briefly, she wondered if she just shouldn't stop doing that until this line of questioning was over. She thought about asking to change the subject, but… what if this helped Ruby somehow? Weiss really did want to get her something nice.

But…

What if it was impossible? What if Weiss was just… not equipped to know what happiness was, much less being able to spread it through generosity?

Yang folded her arms, brows pinching slightly upon seeing Weiss's increasingly dejected stare. "Video games?" She pressed. "Board games? C'mon, Weiss, you can't have had _no toys—_ " Yang focused on Weiss, and Weiss's uncharacteristically _un_ focused stance… and her jaw dropped as the weight of Weiss's body language finally impacted her. "Oh my god," she said, eyes wide as the windows. "You—your parents _didn't give you any toys?_ What in the heck did you do for fun?"

Weiss shrugged. "I just sort of… made it up where I could? I made speed games out of cooking. I made up fantasy worlds and imaginary opponents while training. I held conversations about my day with the characters in my books—" Weiss stopped. "And… and now I sound completely crazy." She looked straight on at Yang, putting on her most commanding glare, and crossing her arms. "You do _not_ tell Ruby about this. In fact, you forget about this too. Go on! Forget."

The Commanding Glare was completely lost on Yang, who merely sighed and smiled sadly at Weiss. Resting a hand on Weiss's shoulder, she turned the girl around.

"Cooooome on," Yang said, leading her over to the dolls section. "I'm buying you a stuffed animal, post-haste."

Weiss blinked, but followed anyway. "What, for me to give to Ruby?" She guessed that would work.

Yang chuckled. "Nope. For me to give to you. Your family didn't buy you toys? Time for your friends to fix that. And _everyone_ needs their first plushie. Mine was Mister Wuffles," Yang said, proudly. "But maybe you're a… Miss Fluff?"

Yang held out a white cat plush with shimmering blue eyes. She squeezed it, and it meowed pleasantly.

And _actual sparkles_ flooded Weiss's vision.

She knew she liked dogs. She didn't have one herself growing up, but a neighbor did, and his unpredictability always amused her the few times Weiss had gotten to play with him. That amusement carried over to the first moment she'd seen Zwei, and thus it'd been approval at first sight.

But this…

Her body moved on its own, almost zombie-like, towards the smiling, stuffed fluffy animal. She picked it up, held it, almost did a double-take at how… _right_ its fur felt to the touch. She softly hugged Miss Fluff to her chest. Miss Fluff purred, vibrating just as softly against Weiss's heart.

And just like that, Weiss's heart was conquered. She closed her eyes, shuddering happily. After far too long, she remembered where she was, and who she was with. She looked up.

"Um… Yang," she said, as euphoria and decorum waged mortal combat against each other, "I… hope you're not doing this out of some sort of misguided sense of pity. I'm a Schnee, and I hardly wanted for things as a child."

She paused, looking out the window.

"Those things just had to… always be 'constructive'. Always have the future in mind."

Yang snorted and led Weiss to the front counter, where the smiling cashier waited.

"Then, no offense, but your family really didn't understand kids." She smiled back at the cashier. "Hey. I'm getting Miss Fluff here for my friend." She hooked a thumb at Weiss. "No need for a bag."

The cashier nodded and rang up the fluffy cat toy without even needing to scan it.

_So. Fluffy._

Weiss never stopped cuddling the stuffed kitty, even as they walked the full length of the store, to its doorway, and back out to the roads of Merchant's Walk.

She sighed. "Well, that was unexpected. I mean, we've technically gone backwards with regards to our stated mission."

She turned to Yang, her expression calm, but her eyes glinting with happiness and sincerity.

"But… thank you. For doing so."

"Don't mention it," Yang said, clapping Weiss on the back with a wink. "Just glad to give Miss Fluff a good home." She scanned the marketplace, sticking her tongue out a tiny bit. "So, no go at the toy store, but what else could you buy my sister… another book store, Dust boutique, sporting goods store, jewelry store…" She bobbed her eyebrows and grinned. "Though that might make her head explode, so maybe baby steps?"

Weiss giggled. "Does Ruby even do jewelry?" she asked, moments before becoming genuinely curious of the answer.

Yang nodded. "Yeah. She likes to wear necklaces and bracelets when she dresses up," she said. "She's a little more weird about rings—say they mess up her grip. I hope you're taking notes—this is good stuff I'm dealing."

"I might be," Weiss said, before determinedly sauntering over to that very shop. "And it might finally be time I started playing to my strengths. Schnees are the best at everything. That includes gifts."

She looked back to Yang.

"This whole time, I've been thinking too small."


	4. Chapter 4

With the air of a queen, Weiss strode into Merchant's Walk's jewelry emporium. She looked with glee at the gems and accessories before her.

_At last._

Class. Refinement. Lounge music.

She was in her element.

And as a Schnee heiress, she knew she could have anything on display she wanted. Which meant _Ruby_ could have anything she wanted.

Just so long as Weiss could… guess what that thing was.

She walked up to the counter. The jeweler looked at Weiss inquisitively at first, then grew ecstatic, seemingly in recognition. Weiss put her finger to her lips, allowing herself to indulge in a certain practiced demeanor—an attitude expected of a Schnee: regal. Refined. _Elite_.

Truth be told, it was an attitude she'd been gradually attempting to discard, now that she knew it had done its fair share of harm over the years—but it was still fun to slip into now and then so long as she was self-aware.

"Please, no pictures," she said airily. "Just your assistance, and you'll be rewarded handsomely."

Yang leaned against a display case, an amused grin on her face. "Better do what she says—she has a bank account, and she isn't afraid to use it." She glanced down at a crystal-laced necklace below her, sitting in a showcase. "Aw hey. This'd look cute on Blake."

"You heard the lady," Weiss said, pointing to the necklace without skipping a beat. "Wrap that up." Quick as a shot, the jeweler did so, then returned to Weiss's side. "As for me… I'm looking for something for… a friend." She walked amongst the cases. "Something that's striking, but not overwhelming. Something that gathers notice, but goes unnoticed on command. Something for a girl who's very into the color re—"

A series of beeps sounded just then.

"Huh?" Weiss fetched her scroll, looked at the name on it, and did a double take. Slowly, she wandered towards the door. "H-hang on, Yang," Weiss said, that faraway look and voice returning. "I… I need to take this. I'll be right back."

Yang smiled apologetically to the jeweler. "Uh, don't go far—we'll… yeah. Thanks."

She rolled up near Weiss, not crowding her, but within earshot enough to hear her side of the conversation. And so went Weiss's half of the conversation as Yang came within earshot:

"…been so long! How are—oh. O-okay. Mm-hmm… m-hmm… oh my gosh! That's wonderf—" Weiss cleared her throat. "I-I mean, that's excellent news. When can I expect to… oh. I see. W-well, is there anything you _can_ tell me? I mean, I'd like to at least know when I can finally spend some time with my—right. Sorry. I understand. Okay… all right. I'll see you… when I do."

Weiss ended the call, closed the scroll, leaned against the wall of the shop, looked up, and sighed.

"Hey," Yang said, gently. She cocked her head, but remained standing at a safe distance, giving Weiss some appreciated space. "Everything okay?"

Weiss kept looking skyward. "Would you believe me if I said 'yes… and no'?"

Yang chuckled and thumped against the wall next to Weiss. "Yeah, I could see that. Wanna talk about it?"

Weiss hesitated for a long time, visibly turning the question over in her mind, before finally responding. "Would you… actually be willing?" she asked.

"Totally," Yang said, with a nod and an easy smile. "But first… how about we get out of this nice lady's hair?" She pointed to the jeweler across the store. Leaning in to whisper, she added, "I think she secretly wants to kill me right now and only your pocketbook is keeping her at bay."

"Well, if she wants her establishment to stay open, she'll think twice about _harassing any of my friends,_ " Weiss said, just barely loud enough for the jeweler to surely have heard it. Weiss then led Yang outside, not noticing the jeweler's frustrated look—not that she would have cared if she had.

* * *

Weiss tossed her hair as she walked away from the marketplace. "I'd rather we go somewhere quiet," she said, continuing towards a nearby park. "I may be _slightly_ more willing to open up than, say, Blake, but I'm still not a fan of broadcasting vulnerable moments."

After ten minutes of walking, Weiss found a park bench suited for her needs—roomy, and far from crowds. She sat down, folded her hands in front of herself, crossed her legs, and took a deep breath.

"That… was my sister," she finally said. "She called to tell me she's coming to Beacon."

Yang did a double take, brows up. "Whoa, the legends of there being another one of you were true!?" At Weiss's slanted expression, she added, "Sorry. But really, her coming isn't good news… why?"

That's just it," Weiss said, sitting up. "It _is_ good news! I'm ecstatic to hear she's coming! Now, if she could only say when she's coming, or why, or perhaps drop the slightest hint as to whether or not she'd be as happy to see me as I would be to see her, I—" Weiss flopped backwards on the bench with a huff. "I love my sister, Yang. And I know she loves me. At least, I'm pretty sure I know? She's never been the 'reminding' type. It's why we haven't seen each other for so long—everything is strictly 'need-to-know-until-the-very-last-second' with her. And until that last second?" Weiss rolled her eyes. "Well, the people who call me 'Ice Queen' have never crossed paths with Winter Schnee."

Yang snorted. "Sorry," she said, waving a hand. "Ice Queen? Winter? Your family really does the whole 'cold' thing all the way through, huh?"

Weiss crossed her arms and pouted. "Hey, you're the one who asked to hear all this. If I wanted to hear cracks about my family name, I could have gone to… well, half the population of Remnant, really." She looked away. "Besides, it's not like I had a choice in the matter. I merely work with what I've been given. And quite well, if I say so myself."

Yang shook her head and clapped a hand on Weiss's shoulder. "Relax, Weiss," she said. "I'm just teasing. Because, yeah, if your sis can spin you around this bad, she's gotta be a piece of work." Leaning back on the bench, she draped her arms behind it. "But, you're not alone anymore, kay? It isn't just you versus your family's weirdness anymore. You got Ruby, who I'm pretty sure would walk through fire for you, and you got me and Blake, too. And I bet if you could get him to put down the guitar, you'd have Jaune at your back—not to mention the rest of his team."

Yang nudged Weiss in the shoulder with her finger. "You kick a lot of ass—no question there. But don't forget that you have more to work with than just what you think you have. Gotta remember you have more." Yang winked.

After a long hesitation, Weiss looked over to Yang and nodded. "Y-you're right, of course. And it's not that I don't appreciate you all being by my side. I do, I promise. It's just that I just feel… well, weird, dragging family baggage outside the family. Even with short talks like this."

She clasped her hands close to her heart, and looked out at the spires of Beacon Academy in the distance.

"And yet, at the same time, even a short talk like this is a huge load off. It feels… nice." She sighed, visibly and inwardly conflicted.

Yang nudged her with her shoulder again. "That nice feeling? That's a good thing, Weiss," Yang said. "Buuuuuut I know this is your first time in confessional, and as your best big sister friend—I'll tell ya to hold off any waterworks." She smiled sincerely. "You're not tearing yourself up like Blake was, so just tell us what you're comfortable with. No pressure." Her expression quirked up. "Well, some pressure. I still want you talking."

Weiss nodded. "I understand. You'll forgive me if I keep it in moderation, though?" She held her hands in front of her, waving them back and forth. "No one deserves to hear all about my father's… "weirdness" at once. Even if they ask. But my sister…" Weiss hesitated to form the words. "…I just wish we had more of a talking relationship. More of a relationship, period. We used to, when we were little. Then duty called. Forever."

She looked at Yang, sincerity in her eyes.

"I envy Ruby every day. She's clearly never had to go very far to have someone by her side. Someone who'd do anything for her. And it shows. In everything she does. Every decision she makes. Every word she says." She chuckled. "I guess I yell at her a lot for it, but at the same time, I'm so happy she has who she has. And… that she is who she is." She stopped. "Don't tell her I said that, either."

Yang chuckled and held up her hands in peaceful assurance. "Not a word," she said. Jerking a thumb back at the jeweler's, she added, "Now, c'mon. You still got a gift to buy."

Weiss smiled. "Yes, I suppose I do."

She got up from the bench, and strode back towards the shop.

* * *

"I'll pay for the necklace from earlier, please," she told the jeweler. Turning to Yang, she added, "Least I could do given today's events. Go ahead and knock Blake's socks off."

"I don't need fancy jewelry for that," Yang said, with a saucy grin. "But it never hurts. What do you have in mind for Rubes?"

Weiss's eyes twinkled as she gave Yang her necklace. "You'll see. I've made up my mind. Thanks for this trip, though. I suppose in the end, I rather needed it."

Yang rested a hand on Weiss's shoulder, smiling back. "Don't mention it."


	5. Chapter 5

The few days between the shopping trip and the big planned bash—a surprise party for Ruby—passed in almost an eyeblink.

For everyone but Weiss, that is.

It wasn't that Weiss was anxious about the party, nor was she lacking in confidence towards her choice of gift. But she'd never been to a birthday party that hadn't been decked in luxury and extravagance—privilege that came at the cost of sincerity.

Sincerity she'd been utterly immersed in since she'd come to Beacon, to say nothing of the sincerity and kindness shown directly towards her, from her schoolmates and instructors… regardless of whether or she actually deserved it.

Wearing one's heart on one's sleeve was a trait she'd been told was a waste of time, a show of weakness.

Until she met her team.

She wasn't sure she was ready to face an entire party's worth of unchecked emotion. Going shopping with one student was one thing. But a party of eight, Team JNPR included?

Well… nothing ventured, she supposed.

At least the apprehension didn't stop her from being excited.

"Ta-da! All for you, Rubes!" Yang said, gesturing through the doorway where Weiss, Blake, and half of Team JNPR had already been waiting.

"Oh my goooooosh, _you guys!_ " Ruby squealed, as she walked into the repurposed study hall room Yang had just lured her towards.

"IIIIIIIT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY! IT'S THE VERY BEST DAY! AND WE'RE HERE TO SAY—!" Nora crowed.

"Happy birthday," Ren finished, his voice perfectly level and pronounced.

The party setup, Weiss was unsurprised to note, was impressive in its earnestness, if rustic by "Atlas standards". Streamers hung from every fixture, balloons were strewn haphazardly about, and a banner reading _HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUBY_ hung above it all. A table with delicious smelling foods, and an equally delicious looking cake, sat just waiting to be devoured.

Just as Weiss took it all in, a frantic voice sounded from outside the room.

_"Lemme go! You're making a terrible mistake here! We all are!"_

Then, a much calmer one.

_"I'm almost starting to believe you. But trust me, you've done more than enough, and everyone thanks you. There's no need to do anything else now but celebrate Ruby's birthday. So quit. Stressing."_

_"All I'm saying is that, without the right spices, even the most flawlessly cooked banquet fails to live up to its full potential! And I forgot to put the paprika on the smoked fish!"_

Pyrrha sighed. "It's fine, Jaune," she said, dragging him into the room. "Ruby has very accommodating taste buds. Besides, the rest of us still haven't forgotten the last time you used 'paprika'. Except it was explosion Dust."

"Hey, I was still getting used to the layout of our room back then! How was I supposed to know the spice rack was located right next to you guys's Dust arsenal?"

"Labels work wonders with that sort of thing," Blake said, bringing up the rear with Weiss. She stole the quickest of glances towards Yang before making her gaze crowd-neutral.

"Even without them, I'd never have trouble telling the two apart," Weiss added, making sure not to visually give away how much fun she was having giving Jaune a hard time already.

Jaune crossed his arms and pouted. "Well, excuse me if some of us aren't heiresses to a Dust conglomerate."

Weiss shrugged, the corner of her lip now tugging only the slightest bit. "No one's perfect?"

Ruby laughed. "Aw, guys, don't fight! It's my birthday! We can fight later. Oooo, birthday training battle montage!" she exclaimed.

"I _LOVE_ THIS IDEA," Nora exclaimed, hopping in the air. Ren's brows pinched together. Slightly.

Yang snorted. "How about cake, presents, dancing, and maaaaybe if you feel like training later, we can do that, sis?"

"I don't have to wear heels, do I?" Ruby asked.

"Nope, just relax and have fun," Yang said. "First and only rule for today."

"Then let's do this!" Ruby said.

"I WANNA—"

Ren put a hand on Nora's arm. "I'll light the cake."

"Awwwww."

They sang the full Happy Birthday song. Ruby scrunched up her eyes, glanced around the group, then blew out the candles. "Yay! I'm officially fifteen! In the eyes of, uh, more than three people now, anyway."

"Whole new world opening up for ya, Rubes," Yang said. "Presents?"

"Pffft. Those can wait. It's cake time!" Ruby said, rubbing her hands together.

"I WANNA—"

"I'll cut the cake, too," Ren said.

"Awwwwwwwwwww."

* * *

Weiss happily accepted her cake with the rest of the gathered, and chowed down. From a seat on the other side of the room, she ate and watched, cross-legged and content, as the rest of her friends—of varying levels, she noted, as she eyed Team JNPR—mingled and laughed and enjoyed each others' company.

She was three-fourths through her first slice when Blake sat down next to her. "Hey," Blake said.

Weiss nodded—she wasn't about to talk with her mouth full, and this chocolate crunch ice-cream cake wasn't going to eat itself.

"So… I have you to thank, I guess?" Blake said in a low voice.

Weiss swallowed. "For what?"

"You know…" Blake slipped a small part of a crystal-laced necklace from her pocket, just enough for Weiss to see.

"Huh. She told me she wasn't going to tell you," Weiss said.

"She didn't. I figured it out. Yang's a lot of things—a lot of good things—but _that_ loaded, she isn't. None of us in this room are… save for one." She looked at Weiss.

Weiss met her stare dead-on. "We can return it," she said.

" _No,_ " Blake said, a little too quickly and shoving the necklace back in her pocket. "I-I mean, it's fine. I like it. It's so… eye-catching, though. Not something I'd wear every day given how I work. Or live. But I like it."

Weiss paused for a moment, then spoke again. "Then don't you think I'm the wrong girl to be having this conversation with?"

Blake blinked. "Well…"

"If that necklace were a gift from me, with the sentiments behind it, trust me, you'd know it. All I did was what I could do, within my power: help two of my friends by allowing one of them to say to the other what they perhaps couldn't with words," She sipped her glass of sparkling water. "Which is saying a lot, given that Yang actually is surprisingly good with them. Words, I mean."

Blake nodded.

"My role was done within seconds," Weiss continued. "And frankly, it's not worth acknowledging. But I know who is."

Blake nodded again, looking at Yang, who was busy pulling a mock stick-up on Jaune at Celica-point from behind his back. Sadly, Jaune was the only one around who didn't catch onto the joke, and Pyrrha couldn't stop laughing long enough to tell him. "I understand," she said with a sigh. "I'm… not so good with words, to be honest."

Weiss tittered. "The hell you say. Next you'll be telling me you have a 'mild affinity' for romance novels. Actually, why _is_ the bookworm of our group the one who's always tongue-tied?"

Blake resisted laughing or rolling her eyes. "Okay, if _you're_ making jokes, then I really did make it too easy. What I'm saying is… I'll think of something."

"Happy to hear it," Weiss said.

"Speaking of hard decisions, though," Blake said with a sly gaze, "Yang did also tell me you two were in a bunch of shops yesterday." She cocked her head in Ruby's direction. "Did you manage to acquire a gift for the object of your sentiments?"

Weiss almost choked. "She promised she wouldn't tell you!"

Blake winked. "I figured that one out, too." She put her fingers to her chin, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Honestly, I think everyone, except for the Guitar Hero over there"—she thumbed to Jaune—"has by now."

Weiss sighed.

Ruby glanced over from where she was on her third slice of cake. She grinned and waved at Weiss. Crumbs spilled from around her bulging lips. This lasted until Nora pulled her back into an animated conversation.

Weiss smiled and waved back—all the while, holding back the urge to nauseously grimace at Ruby's… animated grin. Yang, meanwhile, made eye contact with Blake from across the room and winked.

"And in the end," Weiss said after a sigh, "we fell for sisters. Those sisters." She looked to Blake with a mildly confused furrowing of her eyebrows. "They… are sisters, right? I-I mean, they keep telling us that, but…"

Blake, after silently nodding back at Yang with her own small smile, simply shrugged.


	6. Chapter 6

An hour of music, dancing, mingling conversation, and food later, it was finally time for the main event.

And everyone handily knew when it was finally time for said main event, because the longer the general festivities went on, the more Nora would bounce around the room—until, finally, she imploded, making her impatience known to all, passionately and loudly.

"RRRRRRRR _Ruby, c'moooooon!_ Hasn't it been long enough?" Nora begged, hands clasped in front of the birthday girl. "The suspense, you know not what it does to me! Help a sister out, here!"

Ruby laughed and set down her plate. "Yeah. It kinda has been. C'mon everyone! It's time for presents!"

"YES!" Nora disappeared from the room, then ran back in, holding a box as big as Ruby. "Open mine first!"

"Nora," Ren said.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaat?"

Ruby giggled. "Thanks, Nora, but I always open Yang's first. It's tradition."

"Better luck next year, Nora," Yang grinned. She picked a small box off the table and handed it to Ruby. "Happy Birthday, sis."

"Thanks." Ruby tore open the box quickly and 'oooh'ed. "Oh, Yang! This oil is great for Crescent Rose's mechanisms! How'd you know I was almost out?"

"Mysterious big sister powers," Yang said, with a wink.

"Thanks, Yang!" Ruby said, hugging Yang tightly.

Yang smiled and patted Ruby's head. "It's your big day, Ruby. You deserve the best."

"Less hugging, more _prrrr-esents!_ " Nora demanded. "And it should be miiiiine!" She (somehow) waved her box over her head violently. Something loud clanged from within.

Ren smiled. "Take your time," he advised Ruby.

"Or you could go with mine," Blake said, holding a much smaller, though still just-below-medium-sized box Ruby's way. She looked over at the large present. "I have the feeling by the time we get to Nora's, we'll all have already figured out what's in it."

Nora looked like she was about to _ex_ plode.

"How about my team first, then Team JNPR? Does… that sound fair?" Ruby asked.

Nora opened her mouth. Ren put his hand over it. "Yes, it does," he said.

Ruby smiled and accepted Blake's gift. She unwrapped it in a blur of hands, pulling out what looked like a large black… "Shawl?" Ruby guessed.

"Cloak, actually," Blake said, noting Ruby's temporary puzzlement. "It's made from the absolute lightest fabric in Remnant. Should work with your speed semblance pretty well, when even your usual gear won't cut it." She paused. "Naturally, it's best used at night."

Ruby giggled and swirled the cloak around herself. She pulled up its hood and zipped behind Blake. _"I am the night!"_ she whispered loudly, making mock-scary claw fingers and batting at Blake's hair. _"Hisss!"_

"Sure," Blake monotoned, not flinching a muscle save for a bemused eyeroll and smile.

"Awwwwwww." Giggling again, Ruby pulled back the hood and hugged Blake tightly. "Thanks, Blake. Super-useful, and it's in one of my two favorite colors!"

Blake nodded. "Glad it works for you."

"Only one gift from the team left, Rubes," Yang said.

Ruby removed the cloak and lay it decorously next to the gun oil. "Yeah! Ready to gift me, Weiss?" she said, bounding up to Weiss with a teasing grin.

"Am I ready?" Weiss proclaimed. " _Am I ready?_ What I have for you, Ruby Rose, cannot be contained in any box!" She then reached into the pile and pulled out a box slightly larger than Blake's. "I did my best anyway, though."

Yang tiptoed over as Ruby grabbed the box from Weiss, digging into the wrapping paper and ribbons. "You still never told me what you settled on," she whispered.

"I know," Weiss whispered back. "Don't worry. I put a lot of thought into it. You'll be proud of me." Ignoring Yang's cocked head and slanted expression, she looked at Ruby expectantly.

Ruby lifted the now bare box, which, while larger than Blake's, was surprisingly lighter. Much lighter. And when Ruby opened it, she saw why: it was full of air.

Save for a single piece of paper.

Not seeing Weiss bite her lip or shift her eyes, Ruby overturned the box, letting the paper fall into her hand. On the paper was a picture of a smiling Weiss, with text printed on the back. Ruby read it aloud:

_ "One Coupon, Good For One Weiss Schnee, For A Full 24 Hours." _

"See?" Weiss said, crossing her arms and managing the smuggest, most confident grin possible. _"Priceless."_

The room was silent.

* * *

Team JNPR shared looks of confusion, and Pyrrha squinted at Weiss in an almost possibly rude way. Blake just raised her eyebrows. Yang was having trouble suppressing her chuckle.

And Ruby kept staring at the paper. Until, finally…

"Weiss…" she said, slowly, just before blurting out, "…I _love it!_ " She glomped Weiss, lifting her off the ground. "Ohmigoshohmigoshohmi _gosh_ ," she squealed, "best birthday present _ever!_ "

"Did I… miss something?" Nora asked.

"I think we all did," Ren commented.

"Or it could be that there are simply some matters that are exclusive to Team RWBY. Just like every team at Beacon," Pyrrha said in a knowing voice. She leaned on Jaune, elbow on his shoulder, watching him shake his head in disbelief.

"Wow. Personal coupons," Jaune whispered, mouth agape. "So many years. So many birthdays. I could have saved so much money."

"I'm… not sure I want to know," Pyrrha sighed.

* * *

"Owowowowrubyowdelicateowthisismyonlyversionofthisdress _ow_ ," Weiss wheezed.

She'd only had half a second to be relieved at Ruby's reaction before realizing she was suddenly weightless and couldn't breathe. Seriously, whatever did this girl eat to get such brute strength in such a tiny frame?

Ruby released her instantaneously. "Sorry," she said, with a sheepish grin. "I'm just so excited. We can paint each other's nails, go to the mall, talk about… uh… boys?" She scratched her head in uncertainty. "Ooooo! We can go to the movies! Yeah, that one works!"

Weiss laughed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, if you absolutely want to, we can do any of those things."

As the others talked amongst themselves, Weiss put her arm around Ruby, picked up the card, and stole the chance to speak softly in Ruby's ear:

"But if you want my advice, maybe try to think a little bigger before you cash that card in. Because if you check the fine print on the bottom, it says 'all expenses paid', with one caveat: two-person outing, from start to finish."

She met Ruby's eyes with a smile, and the quickest of winks. "This gift is for you and you alone."

Ruby blushed, glancing down. "D'aww, Weiss," she said, shoving her partner's shoulder. She looked back up, smiling crookedly. "I'dve been fine with half a day! I know how busy you are."

Weiss squeezed Ruby a little, then let go. "There's business, and then there's priorities." She looked around. "And right now, celebrating your birthday is priority one. We can chat more about our festivities once yours are over with. Just come see me when you're ready to talk. All right?"

"You got it," Ruby said, before bounding off to finally indulge Nora's gift-giving.

* * *

Going out to get quiet fresh air was something Weiss did at every party she'd ever attended, even if not always for the same reason. Atlas parties were stuffy and predictable, and snooze-inducing by way of sheer boredom.

This party… well, who knew actual willing participation could be so exhausting in itself? Honestly, there was just no winning.

She heard footsteps behind her, and looked to her side just in time to see Yang join her in looking across Beacon's campus from its front steps.

Yang nodded, but didn't say anything. Instead, she presented Miss Fluff, which Weiss immediately grabbed and cuddled, while making absolutely sure not to squeal.

Once her heart had calmed down, Weiss spoke.

"I… couldn't think of anything I could buy that could tell Ruby everything I feel," she said. "Not even jewelry. So I cut out the middleman. Giving up delegation, and not spending any money on my goals: not very Schnee. And until recently… probably not very Weiss, either." She sighed. "At least I can make one sister happy by existing."

She turned towards Yang again.

"Thanks, Yang. For… caring."

Yang shoulder bumped Weiss lightly. "Back at you," she said. "Though, if I had to guess, 'giving up' doesn't sound like a very Schnee trait to me, either."

Weiss smiled, then nodded.

Yang smiled back, before walking back inside to leave Weiss alone again with her thoughts, her stuffed kitty, and the warmest feeling in her chest she'd ever experienced.

_ ~fin~ _


End file.
